Seize The Day Blog

Health-Related Articles & Recipes

Homemade Peach Tea (Sugar-Free)

It’s 93 degrees in SoCal right now, the sun is shining and I’m craving some summer!!! Unfortunately, June is still a month away so I’m settling for the next best thing…

Homemade Peach Tea!!! I really love to experiment with beverages when it gets super hot outside and this year is no exception. I have a soft spot for herbal tea, especially chamomile tea and it got me thinking one day…How would this chamomile tea (that I normally drink hot) taste on ice?? I was hoping for a refreshing beverage and that is exactly what I got! I love love love this tea cold! But I didn’t stop there…

First, I have a question for you. What is the best thing to do with an overripe peach that smells amazing and would probably taste amazing too, but has a mushy texture that would be pretty gag-worthy if you tried to eat it??? You cut that sucker up and stick those pretty little slices in the freezer! Don’t let that sweet peach flavor go to waste! If it isn’t moldy, it doesn’t need to go in the trash can just yet. Get the most from your overripe peaches and add them to your iced chamomile tea! Plus, the overripe sweetness is going to remedy the lack of sugar that typical peach teas tend to have. I used to love the Bellini Peach Tea at the Olive Garden up until I found out they used syrups for both the peach flavor and the sugar. This option here on Seize the Day Blog is much healthier and still just as refreshing! It makes me feel like it’s summertime during those times that I just do not have the patience to wait for the official start date of the season.

I usually add 2-3 peaches to the bottom of my glass, add lots of ice cubes, and then I fill the glass with chilled chamomile tea. Drinking the Peach Tea with a straw works best so that you can continually stir the peach and chamomile flavors together. I also like to poke at the peaches (which will thaw pretty quickly) to release even more delicious peach flavor! Lots of mixing is the best way to get the perfect mix (no pun intended ;)) of both the herbal tea and the fresh fruit.

I prefer Stash Tea’s Organic Chamomile Tea and Whole Foods Market has had the most amazing Organic fresh peaches so far this season!

Two ingredients are all it takes to make a sweet, flavorful, and refreshing drink for people of all ages! The recipe is below, Enjoy!!

Homemade Sugar-Free Strawberry Lemonade

 

Being sugar-free is always a challenge, but it is especially challenging when trying to make a recipe like lemonade that is practically 90% sugar and 10% lemon juice. It wasn’t easy, but thanks to Lacy Baier from A Sweet Pea Chef, I was able to adapt a lemonade recipe that deliciously mimics the sweet flavor that all lemonade should possess. Warning: It is so delicious and refreshing it will make you long for Summer!

This recipe is a combination of regular lemonade and strawberry juice so I have included both lemonade recipes below. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Healthy Homemade Trail Mix

Finding healthy and tasty snacks when you’re both sugar-free and gluten-free can be a tad challenging. However, this trail mix is the perfect mix of savory and sweet for those moments when that “case” of the munchies turns into a full-blown investigation…

Plus, if you decide to try the recommended products for the almonds and cashews you will be getting an added bonus from the soaked nuts. Dr. Linda’s products are soaked in saltwater making these nuts an excellent source of magnesium! If you’re deficient in this particular mineral, like me, then you’re definitely going to want to try this product! I speak from experience when I say that these soaked nuts are very tasty and pair well with the flavors of the dried fruit products included in this trail mix recipe!

I used the dried apricots from Made In Nature which you can find on Amazon (link provided) and dried cranberries from Albertson’s O Organics product line, which you can find in Von’s, Albertson’s, or Safeway stores.

You can find Dr. Linda’s products on her website: www.DrLindas.com

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Red Enchilada Sauce

I absolutely love Mexican food! It is, hands down, my favorite food genre…Is that even a thing??? I have no idea, but if it wasn’t before it is now. One of my favorite things about living in California is the fabulous selection we have of this type of food! Sooooo I’ve been searching for a Red Enchilada Sauce recipe that could actually compare to the sauces served in authentic Mexican restaurants. Thanks to the amazing food blog, Gimme Some Oven, I finally found one that I’m so in love with I had enchiladas for dinner last night and again today for lunch. If we still had some leftover, I would most definitely have enchiladas again for dinner. Not many foods reheat in such a way that they taste even better the second time, but this sauce is one of those diamonds in the rough and it is amazing. So, if you were wondering I have absolutely no shame admitting to the fact that I would eat enchiladas three times in a row. Not only is the flavor amazing, but it is a recipe that is actually healthy for you! It’s a win-win! The recipe is below and I hope you enjoy it as much I do! Bon appetit!

If you’re also looking for an amazing beef enchilada recipe to go with your red sauce, check out this recipe from Gimme Some Oven.

 

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Steak Nachos

One of my favorite things about living in California is the amazing selection of Mexican Food! You can find a different amazing Mexican restaurant on practically every corner. Okay, maybe I’m over exaggerating a tiny bit, but there are lots of options! I am absolutely positive that I will never get tired of nachos, enchiladas, burritos, salsa, or guacamole…if that was going to happen I’m pretty sure it would have already during my 26 years of living in Southern California. To say that I’m grateful for this selection is an understatement. So naturally I also enjoy making lots of my own Mexican-inspired dishes, such as the Steak Nachos you can see pictured above.

This cuisine type is also fantastic for those of you who are gluten-free! They have made amazing strides with corn and seeing as though I was 100% gluten-free for the first half of this year, this was truly a God-send! Corn chips and corn tortillas open up an entire gateway to delicious food options for those trying to avoid gluten. Sometimes a meat and veg dish just doesn’t quite hit the spot…cue the nachos, tacos, and chips and salsa!

Needless to say, I ate A LOT of Mexican food from January through August, but even now I’m still not tired of any of these dishes. I do believe my own experience is worth mentioning for those trying to avoid gluten because it is easy to forget that there are both corn and flour tortillas available. Choose the corn and you’re good to go!

This recipe is fabulous with both chicken or steak so feel free to branch out from the steak. Also, if you like a little extra kick to your nachos, dice a jalapeño and top to taste. Enjoy!

“The only problem is whenever I try to make a taco, I get too excited and crush it.” – Kevin, The Office

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Snickerdoodles

Yes, it’s true…I am a cinnamon addict! So, naturally, snickerdoodles are my absolute favorites cookies! The chewy goodness that is a snickerdoodle cookie made that happen. This recipe, in particular, is one that I have been making for years & years. It is super simple and the cookies always taste good even if mistakes are made during the baking process. Add too much sugar? Not enough flour? Forget the vanilla? No problem! They will still taste good! This is a very forgiving recipe and the dough is absolute heaven! Snickerdoodles are always a hit at family gatherings!

As an epileptic, I cannot eat chocolate due to the natural caffeine in cacao. It interacts very poorly with my anti-epileptic drugs, as well, so I have two very good reasons to avoid chocolate completely. This might seem like a tragedy to the chocolate-addicts out there, however, these cookies fill that void very successfully!

Cinnamon and Sugar are a magical combo! Check it out for yourself and try the recipe below!

Bon Appetit!!

 

 

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Lemon-Lime Soda

 

***This recipe is great alone or can be used to make Strawberry Lime Margaritas

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Faux Pumpkin Latte

 

Happy Halloween from Seize the Day Blog! Fall is most certainly in the air! As are many of the falling leaves from every tree in my backyard and I absolutely love it!

Another seasonal tradition my heart just can’t get enough of is pumpkins! Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Bread, carving Pumpkins and, yes, Pumpkin Lattes. But, no, not the legendary P.S.L. from Starbucks.

Due to my many diet restrictions, I can’t even go near one of those chemically synthetic drinks without the risk of having a seizure. How ingredients such as syrups, dyes, and processed dairy un-mistakenly became part of the “Edible Foods” category will forever remain a mystery to me.

In addition to my allergies to synthetic ingredients, I am also very sensitive to caffeine, which means I cannot have coffee either. Therefore, unless it involves accompanying my sister through the Starbucks Drive-Thru (I couldn’t let her sing One Directions songs alone while she waits for her coffee), I try to avoid coffee shops, in general.

But, since the P.S.L. is such a fun concept for a cozy, fall drink, I wanted to create something similar that people like me with extreme diet restrictions and/or allergies can also enjoy during this time of the year. My Faux Pumpkin Latte is perfect for every activity apart of the Autumnal and Winter seasons! It is free of synthetic ingredients and contains 100% real pumpkin! I know that not everyone has the same diet sensitivities as me; therefore, I have also provided a second version of this recipe that includes coffee.

GAPS Diet Tip: Follow the coffee-free version for a GAPS-legal warm Fall beverage!

I hope you enjoy this delicious pumpkin treat as much as I do! Recipe follows.

Faux Pumpkin Latte Recipe

(Serves 2)

This recipe is actually an embellishment on a recipe for GAPS-legal Ginger Tea (minus the ginger), which I originally found in Hilary Boynton’s The Heal Your Gut Cookbook, which I previously discussed in the GAPS Diet Reading List article. Since I cannot drink coffee, I substituted this tea (minus the ginger) and loved it! If you prefer coffee, simply add the Pumpkin Mixture to your coffee instead of your tea.

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Mango Protein Shake

 

I know this is my third protein shake related post, but figuring out the right ingredient combinations can be a tad challenging. So, since I’ve got plenty of firsthand experience with these protein shakes, I figured, why not share it all with you? After all, it could be helpful (at least I hope it will be!). Any information I might have left out in the first two posts is guaranteed to be in this one! I hope it helps with your own protein shake assembly process!

First, it’s important to consider the homemade protein powder when you’re deciding which fruit to add to your shake (if you’re using the recipe). The quinoa and brown rice have a very mild flavor, but the dried oats are a bit stronger. The flavor isn’t overpowering, so there’s no need to worry about that ruining the taste of your protein shake, but it is present.

 

If you would like to add some vanilla flavor to your powder, cut a whole vanilla bean in half and scrape the vanilla beans from only one side into the powder. Another option is to cut the it in half longways and stick the entire whole vanilla bean into your powder. This will allow the bean to gradually flavor the entire batch. Both ways work very well so it’s about personal preference if you choose to add flavoring.

Another piece of advice when creating your protein shake masterpiece is to go easy on the blueberries. I learned the hard way that blueberries and homemade protein powder do not mix well. For some reason the two flavors together produce one funky aftertaste! Everyone has different tastes, of course, but in case your taste is similar to mine, consider yourself warned.

 

Okay, now that I’ve covered all the important tid bits I might have missed in previous posts, I would like to share one more recipe. It’s a little more on the tropical side with the main ingredient being mango. If you would like to upgrade the tropical quality of your shake to Hawaii status, I recommend reducing the 1 cup of mango to 1/2 cup instead and replacing the other half with 1/2 cup of pineapple. It’s healthy and bursting with flavor!! And who doesn’t want to try a healthy protein shake that is basically Hawaii in a cup??

Here is the recipe, bon appetit and good luck with your own personal shake making!!

 

MANGO PROTEIN SHAKE

The Final Product!

 

From My Recipe Box to Yours: Strawberry Protein Shake

 

I’ve recently added protein shakes to my diet and while I’m loving all of the nutritional value this meal gives me, it can sometimes be challenging to get my shake to the right consistency. I prefer my protein shakes to have a milkshake-like texture, you know, nice and creamy. But, many recipes give tend to give a watery final product…yuck.

 

This morning, I skipped the recipes I previously found on the Internet and created one of my own instead. To my delight (and surprise) it actually turned out really good! The shake was packed with flavor, but was also mild enough to enjoy for breakfast.

The best part? You only need 5 ingredients to make this deliciously creamy shake!

 

Want to avoid the toxic ingredients typically found in store bought protein powder? Here’s a tried and true recipe for homemade protein powder!

 

STRAWBERRY PROTEIN SHAKE RECIPE

Bon Appetit!